NVCC COLLEGE-WIDE COURSE CONTENT SUMMARY
MUS 111-2 - MUSIC THEORY I-II (4 CR.) (4 CR.)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Elements of musical notation. Structure of scales, intervals, triads, and chords. Development of ability to sing at sight and write from dictation melodies in all keys, clefs, and meters. Beginning analysis of the Bach chorale style and construction of cadential phrases in that style. Similar experience at the keyboard. Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 2 hours. Total 5 hours per week.

GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE

The course provides the student with an elementary knowledge of common practice music theory as well as developing the student's ability to sing and convert musical sounds, melodic, and harmonic into a written format by means of dictation.

ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCIES

The student must be able to read music in treble and bass clefs as well as have a working knowledge of major and minor scales, basic intervals, and basic triad structures.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The student will gain a working knowledge of basic common practice music theory. This knowledge will be demonstrated by the student's ability to:

    1. write simple melodies in proper phrase structure
    2. harmonize melodies in choral style using diatonic harmonies in all inversions, secondary dominant chords, supertonic seventh and dominant seventh chords, various types of cadences, and elementary modulation to closely related keys
    3. analyze music found in the 16th to 18th centuries
    4. sing melodies at sight without the aid of an instrument and notate melodies played for him/her
MAJOR TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED
    1. Complete knowledge of all major and minor scales
    2. Complete knowledge of all basic interval and triad structures
    3. Functional knowledge of all diatonic chords and inversions
    4. Functional knowledge of melodic and cadence structures
    5. Functional knowledge of secondary dominant chords
    6. Functional knowledge of elementary modulation to closely related keys
    7. Functional knowledge of basic chord connection
    8. Functional knowledge of harmonic and melodic analysis employing the above concepts
    9. Aural procedures and concepts
OPTIONAL TOPICS
    1. Reading in little used clefs
    2. More detailed work in instrumentation
    3. Composition of short pieces employing major concepts
Revised 5/98
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